Two teenagers allegedly seen urinating on a war memorial were accused of attacking a man and his wife after they were confronted.

Lewis Edwards, now 20, and Ryan Walsh, 18, were allegedly seen by passer-by David Goggin urinating on the cenotaph off Lord Street in Southport in July last year.

Edwards, of Feltwood Road, West Derby, and Walsh, of Mayville Road, Mossley Hill, are charged with assaulting Mr Goggin and wife Melanie.

Jacqueline Feeney, of Swindale Close, Toxteth , and a 17-year-old girl who can not be named for legal reasons are also charged with the attack on Mrs Goggin.

Liverpool Crown Court heard the four had travelled to Southport on the train on July 13 and were on their way back to the station when the two men made their way over to the memorial.

Edwards, who described himself as “a little bit tipsy” on the day, told the court they had been planning to urinate when they approached the cenotaph but when they realised what it was they decided not to.

But the jury was told Mr Goggin claimed to have seen Edwards with his trousers partially down while in the process of urinating.

Edwards said Mr Goggin approached the pair and shouted at them.

The court heard Mr Goggin had told police Edwards had thrown a punch at him, but Edwards claimed he only acted through self defence after Mr Goggin punched him.

He told the court he had been punched to the face by Mr Goggin and swung one punch back, which didn’t connect, before he was pinned to the floor.

He denied claims from witnesses that he had picked up a broken piece of glass.

The court heard the two girls had allegedly attacked Mrs Goggin while Edwards and her husband were fighting.

But Edwards told the court he had seen the woman pulling the hair of one of the girls.

Walsh told the court he had tried to separate Mr Goggin and Edwards, who were both on the floor, using his feet but denied kicking Mr Goggin.

John Chukwuemeka, prosecuting, told the court Mr Goggin had described feeling a heavy blow to his lower back area.

He said a witness described seeing Walsh “indiscriminately kicking out” at both groups fighting.

He said: “Melanie Goggin felt a forceful blow to her back while she was on the ground, defenceless.”

He added: “You were laying into the man on the floor, Mr Goggin, and you were laying into his wife.”